TOYOTA TACOMA FRAME NEED REPLACEMENT 2003 RECALL

I NEED HELP.

I OWE A 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA DOUBLE CAB. I AM THE FIRST BUYER.
NOW I HAVE ISSUES WITH THE FRAME BY THE RIGHT SIDE SHOCK. IT BREAKING DOWN DUE
TO OXIED ALL OVER THE MAIN FRAME SPECIALY BY RIGHT SHOCK WITCH HAVE A CRACK ALREADY LIKE IT GOING TO BREAK.

I WHEN TO TOYOTA AT STAMFORD DEALER. INFORMED EMPLOYEE OF MY ISSUES AND HE STATED I AMGOING TO TALK TO MY MANAGER. HE CALLED 2 DAYS LATER SAYING WE CAN DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. ITS OUT OF WARRANTY. THEY NOT EVEN BOTHER TO SEE ISSUES.

I GOT TO THE INTERNET AND IT SHOWED THAT MY TRUCK HAVE A RECALL FRAME ISSUES.

NOW. I NEED SOMEONE OUT THERE TO HELP ME MAKE TOYOTA REPLACE MY FRAME SINCE I OWE THIS TRUCK FOR THE LAST 15 YEARS.

I APPREACIATE YOUR HELP.​

 

WHY ARE WE YELLING?!

You're shit out of luck man, I'm sorry. Very few 2003 trucks still are within the 15 year in service date. If your frame wasn't undercoated by Toyota I don't believe you would be even eligible - only certain states were issued the recall as far as I know. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

 

Thank for taking the time for answering

I G I going have to do some fixing myself or seller... its kind off shitting by Toyota

 

Maybe check the frame next time they announce a major recall?

 

depending of how bad and where the rust is, it's possible to patch the rusted out portions of your frame
Pictures of the rust on the frame would help us to guide you on whether it is worth fixing it or not

There is this company who makes patches for rusted out frames, if you want to repair it
https://www.autorust.com/product-category/toyota-tacoma/

 

The first thing I'd do is try another Toyota dealer and see if you have better luck. Having worked at a dealer before I know that sometimes going to another more helpful dealership, especially one with frame recall experience can yield a much different result.

If that doesn't work, I would gather all of my documentation since new, to include bill of sale, and warranty info, make copies and craft a very pointed letter to Toyota corporate explaining the situation and the open recall. Ask them how they can resolve this situation for you. Be professional but firm. You might even be able to pull up some sample letters to auto manufacturers online to use as a boilerplate.

If that doesn't work, possibly seek a donor frame and/ or a qualified shop that can repair the damage through welding in new donor segments or new steel. Donor frame might be the way to go if all else fails.

Good luck. Keep us posted.

 

Unless the in service date is within the time frame required toyota will do exactly nothing.

 

***LOUD NOISES!!!***

Ok, in all seriousness here's the rundown.

1. You won't make Toyota do anything
2. Here's your only hope. If your truck's frame was sent to the dealer on the initial frame corrosion recall you have a good chance and may have to take it to another dealer for a 2nd opinion. During this 1st recall the dealership coated the frame with an anti corrosion coating. Your VIN has to show that the truck went through this. Your VIN is everything. Whoever owned the truck during this recall period HAD to take it in or Toyota will NOT cover a full frame replacement. This was the initial fix from Toyota years ago. Since that recall began to fail they then offered to buy back your truck or now replace the entire frame.
3. Why this is relevant. I bought 2002 with a horrendous frame but it did have the black treatment installed. You could literally see through my frame. Because the previous owner took advantage of the coating recall I was eligible for a full frame replacement.
4. Again your VIN.. You have 15 years from when the truck was on the lot to get this done if eligible.
5. Don't be entirely mad at Toyota. It sometimes pays to take care of those recalls. They 100% took care of me but I was lucky. Took my truck, paid for a rental for over a month then sent me on my way. Good luck!

 

You need someone out there to resolve your issue? Get a lawyer?
You still owe on the truck? If you bought it from the dealer you should've been notified. One mistake I see quite often is that registration information never gets updated when they move around or for financial reasons, the person whose name is on the loan/lien is someone else because of financial reasons so that plays into why you didn't get notified about bringing it in.

 

Dude, first off, I'm sorry, but...it's a fifteen year-old pickup truck. Basically an antique as far as your friendly Toyota dealer is concerned. If you owned the truck from new and missed the boat on the recall, why would you expect Toyota to do anything? Check Chevy and Ford sites and you will see plenty of threads about frame rust as well, but I can guarantee you GM isn't doing jack shit about a cracked frame on a 2003 Silverado. Your best bet is to find a clean replacement frame, or move on.

 

Another owner the letter never got opened if Toyota was able to get a current address when they were sent out.

It was never a recall but a extended warranty big difference

 

First thing is to confirm if the dealer is right or not. Go here: https://www.toyota.com/owners/vehicle-specification and plug in your VIN. The see what the Date of First Use is. If it's more than 15 years you're probably out of luck. If it's less than 15 years then there's more to talk about.

 

Also, where are you? Connecticut?

 

There's a DC frame currently in for sale section.

 

2002 Out of luck
2003 have until December 31st 2018
2004 have until December 31st 2019
ONLY IF your truck originated from one of the 8 northern states toyota declared "eligible" for the warranty
ALSO ONLY IF your truck received a frame coating from a Toyota dealer before December 31st 2010 ALSO in one of those 8 offending northern states.


Straight from a a Toyota rep

Anything else is dealer discretion

 

Not unless there has been a change to extended warranty.

The extended warranty on the frame is 15 years from in the "in service" date (the date of sale to the original customer). If the Tacoma sold was registered in a cold climate state (CT, DE, IL, IN, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, VA, VT, WI, WV) at the time they instituted the service campaign for the frame, Toyota required that the owner take it to the dealer for a corrosion protection coating (undercoating) before a specified deadline for that state (12/31/2010-12/31/2011 in NY). If this was not done, the extended warranty was voided. Warm climate state trucks are covered, and do not require the undercoating.

For example, my 2003 was first sold in the state of Maine in 11/26/2003, and was undercoated in Maine in November 2010. I am covered until Nov 26, 2018.

This information is from the original Toyota notifications mailed to owners, and my Kingston NY Toyota dealer, who has done hundreds of frame replacements. My dealer inspects my truck every year, and will do so again in a few months. I will confirm the warranty conditions with them if I get a chance this week, but there have not been any reports of changes to the warranty for 2001-2004 Tacomas.

 

Interesting so if you got the frame coating and the truck is still rusting your out of luck?

 

That's not what that says. Dealer undercoating kept the warranty in place. No dealer undercoating, no warranty for the cold climate state trucks.

There are many reports here of trucks in that situation. There are also a number report of warm climate, non-undercoated trucks having rusted out frames replaced.

 

Also, you are not covered if your cold climate undercoated truck, or warm climate non-undercoated truck, has aged out of the 15 year extended warranty. Most trucks are now out of warranty regardless, unless they are late 2003 builds or 2004s. Time is catching up with us.

 

This is the correct information.